Today, it doesn't matter if you grow food or purchase it, Ohio Farm Bureau invites you to work with your neighbors to enhance the quality of life in your community and the unique ways agriculture touches our lives.

Rowe participating in intensive agricultural leadership program

COLUMBUS, Ohio (OFBF) – Fostoria resident Roshelle Rowe is one of 20 farmers and agribusiness professionals selected by the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) to participate in the 2014-2015 AgriPOWER Institute. Rowe is a homemaker and helps on the family’s cattle and grain farm. She is a Seneca County Farm Bureau member, and she and her husband helped start the Seneca County Young Agricultural Professionals group.

OFBF launched AgriPOWER in 2008 as an elite training program designed to help participants become leaders and advocates for agriculture. The yearlong program consists of seven two-to-three-day training sessions that focus on public policy issues confronting agriculture and the food industry.

Topics covered include public policy issues facing local communities, the state of Ohio, the nation and the world. Specific sessions help class members develop important skills necessary to becoming an effective leader and advocate, including spokesperson and media training, etiquette training, social networking, communications and more. One of the institute programs will be held in Washington, D.C. to help class members gain a valuable understanding of national and global issues.

“The agriculture industry is constantly evolving and diversifying. Now more than ever, there is a demand for trained leaders to take the industry to the next level,” said Melinda Witten, AgriPOWER coordinator. “This is really the purpose of AgriPOWER. AgriPOWER graduates are prepared to become the future leaders and advocates for agriculture.”

Ohio Farm Bureau Federation is a member of American Farm Bureau Federation®, a national organization of farmers and ranchers including Farm Bureau® organizations in 49 other states and Puerto Rico, and is responsible for Farm Bureau membership and programs within the State of Ohio. Ohio Farm Bureau Federation programs and services are available only to Farm Bureau members within Ohio. The political views expressed in these pages represent Ohio Farm Bureau Federation's positions on various issues as they relate to Ohio. The positions of the national Farm Bureau organization collectively are expressed through American Farm Bureau Federation. Any opinions, statements or views expressed through comments or by outside contributors are the express views of those individuals and do not necessarily represent the views of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.